


I'm trying to save you

by poly_pr1nce



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: AU, Abuse, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Child Abuse, Drug Abuse, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, M/M, Multi, Other, Past Abuse, Past Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Past Child Abuse, Past Rape/Non-con, Past Sexual Abuse, Physical Abuse, Rape/Non-con Elements, Sexual Abuse, Substance Abuse, Threats of Rape/Non-Con, Twincest, Underage Rape/Non-con
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-05
Updated: 2018-06-08
Packaged: 2019-05-18 09:22:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14850093
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/poly_pr1nce/pseuds/poly_pr1nce
Summary: AU in which the Twinyards meet in a large branch toy store, courtesy of total coincidence and Drake being sent to look for Andrew by a concerned Cass, and happens upon Aaron and Nicky in one of the aisles





	1. No way

**Author's Note:**

> OK so I was listening to "True scary horror stories" on Youtube today and couldn't get this idea out of my head, so yeah....  
> also I'm sorry in advance

 

* * *

 

 

“You can get anything you want, sweetheart.” Cass’ voice was soft and soothing as it always was, but Andrew couldn’t relax. They were in the car on the way to the toy store, as a reward for Andrew attending school consistently for a week. Since he had only gotten into two fights all week, Cass had decided they could go out for dinner as well. Drake had decided to tag along as well, claiming he wanted to spend time with his little brother. Andrew had tried talking Cass out of it, but as soon as he had said he didn’t think he deserved this reward she had shut him down, and just like that, it was as good as written in stone.

“OK,” Andrew replied, voice flat. His arms stung under his sleeves, and the spring sun wasn’t doing anything to help the situation. He would have to steal some supplies from a pharmacist before the end of next week. Or sooner, if he could get away without Cass asking where he was going.

As they got closer to the store, Andrew looked out the window, scanning for a convenience store, since he doubted there would be a branch pharmacy out here. By the time Cass pulled into the parking lot outside the toy store, he had seen five convenience stores, and at least one of them was bound to have what he needed. He hated lying to Cass, but if it meant he could keep her, then it was worth it. Every cut and bruise and night spent pretending to enjoy it for Drake’s ego, every time he had to sneak sheets into the wash without Cass noticing or Richard bothering to ask, it was all worth it if he could just hold onto her.

The three of them walked up to the toy store, Drake in front and distracted by his phone. Andrew tugged on Cass’ sleeve, taking the only opportunity he could see.

“Sweetheart, are you alright?” she asked, bending down so she was closer to his height.

“I just have to go to the bathroom.” The lie felt like it burned Andrew’s tongue.

“Oh, Drake can help you find-”

“No,” Andrew said quickly. Before Cass could ask why, Andrew shifted his weight as he quickly added, “It’ll probably be quicker if I just go look for it myself - he always walks slower when he’s on his phone.”

Cass reached out and smoothed some of his hair behind his ear. “If you have to go that badly why didn’t you say before we got in the car? It was almost an hour’s ride.”

Andrew just shrugged and Cass sighed, watching him as he carefeully shifted his weight again. “Say something sooner next time, alright?” When Andrew nodded, Cass stood up straight again. “On you go, then. Just remember not to talk to strangers, and don’t leave the store, alright?” Andrew nodded and walked off, quickly disappearing from sight in one of the aisles. He wove between them for a minute or so until he could be sure Cass and Drake would be away from the front door, before he started jogging back down the aisles, glancing around for any sign of them, before sprinting across the open section and out the front door, ducking out of sight behind cars as he hurried through the lot, down the steps, onto the street, and then ran for the nearest convenience store.

 

......

 

Aaron wandered through the aisles, looking at the toys lining the shelves. His cousin had came over from South Carolina, and since a twelve and sixteen year old were apparently too much for her to manage, his mother had driven them out to the largest toy store she could find, which was almost two hours away. She had dropped them off, saying she was going to the mall which was half an hour away, and to call when they wanted picked up. Aaron didn’t know much about his aunt and uncle who lived in South Carolina, but he knew they had more money than his mom did - or they were better at saving, while his mother spent most of hers on drugs. He guessed she was at a meet-up in another person’s house, rather than the mall like she had said. She probably only said she would be at the mall for Nicky’s sake - though why she was even bothering to hide the fact she was using again, Aaron didn’t know. Maybe she was trying to stop him from raiding her stash again, or asking to go to her meet-ups like he used to, when he first got into her drugs. Either way, it was pointless. He’d end up using again just like she did. No matter how hard she tried to keep him away. It was the only thing that stopped the thoughts and filled the emptiness.

The toys on the shelves wee expensive, but Nicky had brought his father’s credit card and some cash, so Aaron assumed he would pay for whatever Aaron bought. Nicky had originally been within shouting range of Aaron, but had gotten a call from someone and said he’d be back, warning Aaron not to leave the store before he walked off, phone at his ear.

Aaron bypassed the girls’ aisle and headed for the lego one, trying not to think of where his mother could be keeping her stash this time, or how big it could be. No way was he going to think about that. He thought he heard Nicky shouting his name, but when Aaron looked around he couldn’t see his older cousin.

“Nicky?” he yelled.  Not five seconds later his phone started ringing. When Aaron flipped it open he saw Nicky’s number. “Nicky?”

“Aaron, I thought I told you to stay in the store, what the fuck are you thinking?”

Aaron frowned. “I _am_ in the store, Nicky.”  
“Don’t lie to me - I just saw you.”

“I’m literally standing in the lego aisle. What are you on about?”

There was a pause, and when Nicky spoke again Aaron could tell he was walking.

“You better be in the lego aisle, or I swear you better have a good explaination.”  
“What explaination?” Aaron asked, turning around in the aisle, waving sarcastically when Nicky rounded the corner and faltered before hanging up. Aaron flipped his phone shut, putting it back in his pocket as Nicky walked up to him looking confused.

“I just saw you run out the front door like your ass was on fire.”  
Aaron shrugged. “I’ve been here the whole time.”

Nicky ran a hand through his hair. “Shit I need more sleep if I’m seeing stuff like that.”

Aaron snorted, turning back to the plastic on the shelves.

 

...

 

Andrew slowed to a jog, then a walk, as he neared the convenience store, his pace casual as he entered, trying to go through the aisles as quick as he could without drawing attention. He got to the personal care aisle, and scanned the shelves as fast as he could, picking up bandages and band-aids, along with barrier cream and tape, along with some dressings and anti-biotic cream, but he couldn’t see any of the cream he was looking for. Swallowing his nausea, he made his way to the desk where the semi-trained pharmacist was sitting on her phone. He had to reach up to put the items on the space in front of her - being short really sucked, but tall counters sucked more. Absently he wondered if it was his mother’s or father’s fault he was so short. Maybe he’d grow a foot in high school, like Cass kept saying he would.

The woman looked up from her phone, glanced at the items and then at him.

“Anything else, kid?”  
“I was looking for some sort of cream to stop wounds getting itchy in summer but I couldn’t see any.”  
“That’s cause that stuff is on the top shelf, kid,” she said as she stood up. She pushed open the gate in the desk and went over to the shelves he had been at, and reached up to the top shelf, coming back a few seconds later with a small container which she runng up with the rest of his items.

“What’s a kid like you want with all this stuff?”

“It’s for school,” Andrew lied. When she frowned at him he continued, “We’ve to bring in stuff for first aid training since the school nurse has to keep her supplies accounted for and she thinks we’ll steal them if she leaves them out.”

The woman hummed as she bagged his items, putting the paper bag on the counter between them. “Fifteen dollars,” she said, and Andrew handed the money over - he had taken twenty bucks from Drake’s wallet that morning while the brute had been in the shower. So far he hadn’t noticed.

Andrew took the bag when she handed it over, and walked as casually as he could out of the store, before hurrying around the corner and emptying the bag on the ground - he stuffed the small cardboard boxes and plastic wrappers in his jeans pockets, and the containers in the inner pockets of his hoodie - it was seventy degrees out, but he needed to keep his arms and wrists covered so didn’t really have a choice. Once he was sure everything was hidden, he threw the bag and receipt in the trash before running back up the street towards the toy store. It had only been ten minutes - surely Cass wouldn’t have noticed he’d been gone much longer than it actually took to go to the bathroom. It was a big store, he reasoned - plenty of room and aisles for a kid to disappear in.

 

....

 

Aaron laughed, watching as Nicky managed to create an avalanche of plushies by accident after pulling one out and waving it at Aaron, saying how cute it looked. Karma was a bitch - Aaron could have helped, but honestly it was funnier watching his cousin get swamped by giant teddybears and stuffed cartoonish dogs.

The store was reasonably quiet, so there was only a few other people in the aisle with them. He heard someone shout, “AJ!” in a deep voice, but he ignored the voice. Nicky was still swamped by the stuffed toys, after all.

“AJ,” the voice said again as a hand clamped down on Aaron’s shoulder, and Aaron turned around, stepping back towards Nicky as he looked up at the older boy. He was in his late teens, a little older than Nicky, maybe eighteen or nineteen.

“Who the fuck are you?” Aaron snapped, as he heard Nicky scramble to his feet behind him.

The young man rolled his eyes. “Don’t give me that shit, kid - Mum’s looking for you, said you were taking too long. I thought you hated worrying her.” The way he said the last sentence implied some sort of deeper meaning, like an inside joke, but Aaron didn’t get it.

“I’m not AJ, back the fuck off.”

“With that mouth, you are. You’re really shit at this I-don’t-know-you-game, you know.”  
“It’s not a game.” Nicky moved so he was slightly in front of Aaron, pushing him back from the guy. “Neither of us know who you are, so you better either get out of here or explain who the fuck you thought my cousin was.”  
The guy blinked, as he looked between the two of them.

“Your cousin?”

“Yes. And I can have his mother on the phone in less than ten seconds, so you better have a good fucking story.”

The guy looked surprised, and then laughed. Actually laughed. Aaron gulped, and Nicky straightened his shoulders.

“Your name isn’t Aaron by any chance, is it?” the guy asked, and both Aaron and Nicky faltered.

“Why?” Aaron asked, and the guy smiled at him, looking appologetic but excited at the same time. “You’ve got a twin called Andrew, right? You wrote to him but his foster mother wrote you back, saying to try again in the spring?”

Aaron stared at him. Nicky looked floored.

“Yeah,” Aaron stammered. “How did you know that?”  
“I’m his foster brother, Drake - the mother who wrote you back, Cassandra Spear, she’s my mother.”

Aaron and Nicky stared at him. Was this for real?

“You mean Andrew’s here?” Aaron asked, and the guy - Drake - nodded.

“Yeah, somewhere. He went off saying he needed the rest room but now he’s disappeared.”

“Wait,” Nicky said. “What’s he wearing?”

Drake frowned. “Black jeans, converse, some sort of oversized band merch tshirt and a black hoodie - little goth wannabe.”

“And they’re identical?”  
“Completely,” he said, with another look at Aaron.

Nicky scratched the back of his neck. “I might have seen him run out the store earlier - I thought it was Aaron and yelled after him but guessed he didn’t hear me, then I heard Aaron shout so I called and obviously he was still in here. The kid looked exactly like him except for the clothes - I don’t think Aaron even owns black jeans.”

Drake sighed, nodding. “Yeah, that sounds like AJ. How long ago did you see him?”

“Maybe like ten minutes?”

“We got here like fifteen minutes ago, so it probably was him.” Despite the situation, Drake didn’t seem concerned.

“Should we get security or-”

Drake shook his head. “It’s typical AJ, he always runs off. He’s probably just waiting by the car or something - he doesn’t really like crowds, says they remind him of group homes.”

Nicky looked to Aaron, still looking as if someone had handed him a bible full of pictures of God making out with himself.

“Come on,” Drake said. “Mum will flip when she sees you two.” He began walking backwards, and after a few seconds, Nicky and Aaron followed him.

 

.....

 

Andrew jogged through the aisles, looking for Cass. He had ran back from the convenience store, walked into the toy store and began looking around for her. When she wasn’t in any of the front aisles he relaxed slightly. When he looked up and down the second row of aisles he found her looking at computer games. He walked up next to her, and she almost jumped when she noticed him.

“There you are, Sweetheart. I sent Drake to go look for you, you were taking so long. Are you alright?”  
“Yeah, I just got lost and then couldn’t find you - I think I went around the whole store.”

Cass smiled, messing his hair up gently. “You should have called - we gave you that phone for a reason, remember?”  
“I’m just not used to having one,” Andrew said. It wasn’t a lie. No one else had bothered giving him a phone before, not even the group parents.

Cass straightened up as she took her phone out, presumably calling Drake.

“Darling, it’s me, Andrew just appeared next to - What? Alright, we’re in the computer games aisle.” She hung up, putting her phone back in her bag as she turned to Andrew.

“He says he found someone we’re both going to be excited to meet.”  
“Probably one of his friends,” Andrew muttered.

“Most likely,” Cass hummed, as she pulled Andrew close to her side as they turned back to the plastic cases on the shelves. “Maybe one of them has a little brother or sister - you could use a friend, you know.”  
Andrew shrugged. He hoped none of Drake’s friends had younger siblings. For all their sakes.

A minute or so later, Drake rounded the aisle, a tall and lanky Hispanic boy beside him, who looked about fifteen or so. There was someone walking behind them, but Andrew couldn’t see who - probably a doomed younger sibling. The Hispanic boy noticed Andrew and openly gaped.

“No way,” he said in a heavy drawl as they got closer. “No fucking way, you weren’t kidding, they’re completely identical.”  
Andrew frowned. What the fuck?

“Darling?” Cass asked, and Drake smiled.

“Mum, wait until you see who I found. This is Nicky, he’s from South Carolina.”

Nicky moved forward to shake Cass’ hand, and Andrew could finally see the child standing behind him. When he saw those hazel eyes and platinum blonde hair paired with the build of a nine year old, his blood ran cold.

“And this is his little cousin Aaron Minyard. Aaron, this is my foster brother Andrew Joseph. Andrew, this is your twin brother Aaron.”


	2. Both of them

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cass is oblivious, Drake is Drake, Nicky is quiet for once, Andrew is scared and Aaron is brave.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is much shorter than the last chapter, but the next one is gonna be longer so yeah

Aaron stared at the boy in front of him. It was like looking in a mirror, the only difference being his reflection was wearing different clothes; he didn’t even own black jeans, never mind a full black outfit. It was seventy degrees out - how could the boy feel alright wearing a full black ensemble with sleeves down over his wrists?

The woman - Cassandra, Aaron assumed, - gasped as she looked between them. Before he could say anything, she was bending down and almost kneeling in front of him, arms outstretched for a hug. Aaron hesitated before taking a small step towards her, which was all the answer she needed before she was wrapping her arms around him and pulling him close, holding him tightly. It only lasted a few seconds, but it was by far the gentlest anyone had held him in a long time. When she pulled away she looked close to tears as she patted his face, smoothing his hair behind his ears. A quick glance at the boy in black showed they even had the same haircut.

“It’s like there’s two AJ’s.” It took Aaron’s brain a few seconds to recognise Drake’s voice, and a few more to understand the words. The boy in black apparently processed them at the same time, because Aaron  didn’t miss the scared glance he shot at the older boy, before his hazel gaze landed back on Aaron, something close to anger in his eyes. Somehow, Aaron knew that anger wasn’t directed it him. Was he mad at Drake? At himself? Why?

Before Aaron could think of how to ask, Cassandra was standing with Nicky and looking at all of them. She looked like she was going to cry, but Aaron was surprised to see she still looked happy. Excited, even. When she looked at the boy in black, she must have seen something in his expression Aaron couldn’t see, because she bent down in front of him, gently holding her hand close to his cheek.

“I know, Sweetheart,” she said. “I know. But this is a good thing.” She still had her hand close to him,  but Aaron noticed she was being careful not to actually touch his skin. A few beats passed before the boy seemed to make up his mind about something, and leant into her palm slightly - apparently that was a cue of sort, since the woman ran her thunb over his cheek and brow, keeping her fingers in his hair for a few seconds before he began to pull back. Almost as soon as he did, she let go and stood back up. In those few seconds, Aaron knew Cassandra had never hit the blonde boy, and never would - he doubted she had ever raised her voice at him either. His body flushed with a sick wave of jealousy, but he was surprised when it passed as quickly as it came, replaced with an odd conentment; at least one of them was safe and cared for.

Cassandra looked between them both, and then between Nicky and Drake.

“Nicholas, was it?” Nicky nodded. “Are you in charge of Aaron or is there an adult here for you both?”

“Aaron’s m - err, my aunt,” Nicky faltered, “dropped us off and went to the mall. She said to call when we wanted picked up.”

“Would it be alright if Aaron and Andrew went off by themselves for a while? The three of us could wait in the food court, and leave this pair to get to know each other.”

Aaron looked to Nicky, and nodded slightly at his cousin’s curious expression. Nicky took that and turned back to Cassandra and Drake.

“If it’s alright with them both-” Aaron noticed Nicky shoot a glance at the boy in black as he said that, “-then it’s fine with me. Just as long as they don’t leave the store.” Another glance at the blonde boy behind Cassandra. Aaron saw Drake smirk slightly before he managed to hide it. The other boy noticed too, if his weary glance between Drake and Aaron was anything to go by.

“Wonderful,” Cassandra said. She turned to the boy behind her, lightly pushing his bangs back off of his face. “We’ll be in the food court if either of you need us - and you both have your phones in case you can’t find us. And don’t leave the store, or talk to strangers, no matter what. Alright?” The boy nodded, and when Cassandra looked to Aaron he felt himself nodding as well.

“Yeah, wouldn’t want anything bad to happen to either of you,” Drake said. This got a more intense glare from the blonde boy, though no one else seemed to notice. Maybe it was just because Aaron was staring at him that he was noticing.

“Exactly,” Cassandra said. She gestured to Drake and Nicky, who headed off after her, Nicky sending a “please behave” look at Aaron over his shoulder. Once the three of them were out of sight, the boy seemed to relax slightly. 

They were both silent for almost thirty seconds, just watching each other. Noticing things. Aaron saw the way the by had cut holes in his sleeves to put his thumbs through in order to stop them sliding back up his arms; Nicky done it too with his longer jumpers.  Aaron saw the slight outline of cardboard boxes in the boy’s front pockets - it could be gum, but matched with the evidence on the sleeves, Aaron doubted it. The slight bulk in his hoody meant hidden pockets on the inside, and it looked like small containers. Again, it could be anything, but Aaron had seen containers the exact same shape and size so many times he knew how to recognise them. The boy was staying perfectly stlll, but his weight was on his left leg more, as if he was ready to kick and run at the slightest thing. His shoes were scuffed and his jeans were worn, but his clothes were good quality - mildly expensive, too.

Aaron knew the boy was noticing things about him too. He could guess at what they were. Instead of asking any of the questions in his head, Aaron stepped towards the boy and held out his hand.

“Aaron Minyard,” he said.

The boy looked at him for another few seconds before stepping forward and gripping his hand. 

“Andrew Doe,” he said.


End file.
